Shloka 1
ऋत्विग्धर्मः, दक्षिणा-न्यायः, तपसः परमार्थः
Ritvij-Dharma, the Norm of Dakṣiṇā, and the Higher Meaning of Tapas
अर एकोनाशीतितमो< ध्याय: ऋषच्विजोंके लक्षण, यज्ञ और दक्षिणाका महत्त्व तथा तपकी श्रेष्ठता युधिछिर उवाच क्वसमुत्था: कथंशीला ऋत्विज: स्यु: पितामह । कथंविधाश्र राजेन्द्र तद् ब्रूहि वदतां वर,युधिष्ठिरने पूछा--राजेन्द्र! वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ पितामह! ऋत्विजोंकी उत्पत्ति किस निमित्तसे हुई है? उनके स्वभाव कैसे होने चाहिये? तथा वे किस-किस प्रकारके होते हैं? मुझे ये सब बातें बताइये
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: kva-samutthāḥ kathaṃ-śīlā ṛtvijaḥ syuḥ pitāmaha? kathaṃ-vidhāś ca rājendra tad brūhi vadatāṃ vara.
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Grandfather, from what source do the officiating priests arise, and what should their character be? O king among men, in what forms and classifications do they exist? O best of speakers, tell me this.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical inquiry: ritual authority (ṛtvij) must be grounded in proper origin/training and, above all, in character. It sets up Bhīṣma’s instruction that competence in sacrifice is inseparable from dharmic conduct.
In the Śānti Parva’s instruction section, Yudhiṣṭhira approaches Bhīṣma as a teacher and asks about the origin, nature, and classifications of sacrificial priests, preparing for a discussion on yajña, dakṣiṇā, and the superiority of tapas.